Bread-slicer.



No. 725,537. PATENTED APR. 14, 1903. A. BOLDUG.

BREAD SLIGER.

APPLICATION IILBD AUG. 23. 1902. N0 MODEL. 3 Q3 a sums-sum 1.

Attorneys 045mm, 0. c.

No. 725,537. PATENTED APR. 14, 1903. A. BOLDUG.

BREAD SLIGER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 23, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

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By 'WQ QM a.

THE moams PETERS co. Pwmommo, wasnlNf-TON. o. z;v

Attorneys PATENTED APR. 14, 1903.

A. BOLDUG.

BREAD SLIGER. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 23, 1902.

SHEET a.

3 SHEETS- )IO MODEL.

Attorney m: r onms Parana ca, Pumaumoi. wnswlnovou. n. cy

PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR BofLDU or -sT. aooifnn QUEBEC, CANADA,

BREAD-SLICER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 725,537, dated April 14, 11903.

' Application filed An ustzaieoz. Seritlllo.120,'752. (in model.) p p V Y 'I w ll whom it ma concern;

Be it known that I, ARTHUR BoLDUo, a subject of the King of Great Britain,'residing at St. Roch de Quebec, countyuofQuebec City, (east,)-.Province of Quebec, Ganada,'liave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bread-Slicers; and I do hereby dec lare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

f j My invention relates-to a compactand handy device forslicingb'read, cake, and other like material; and the object that I have in View is to so assemble the parts as to form convenient compartments forholding loaves of bread or cake, for holding slices when out, and for holding the breadtobecut, and, further, to arrange an adjiistablegage whereby to regulate the thickness of the slice. I

Another object of my invention is toform the gage to be turned down out of the Way' when it is desired to. cut slices of unusual thickness or else to'divide a loaf into several large pieces at any point thereof.

A subordinate object of my invention is to provide means for preventing the compression of the bread betweenthe knife and the gage:

by providing a resiliency between the, two

parts which permits one of them to give or yield for a distance equal to thethickness of the knife, which device is, particularly useful in the caseof partially-dried bread. I

To these ends my invention consists ina box having a case on one side adapted to hold uncut loaves and-to preserve the same against moisture, a'rotary spiral knife adapted 'to be revolved on one. side of the box, a slicingchamber in which the bread or cake to be slicedis adapted to be-locatedand to be pushed forward against the knife, and a drawer or box into which theslices are adapt be taken.

My invention consists, further, in a gageplate which is pivotally mounted on a horied to fall and from which they are'adapted to zontal axis in an adjustable support and isheld normally uprightfbu't is adapted tov be turned down out of theway when slices of unusual. thickness oralaige fraction of a loaf is to be cutofi at one time. I The adj ustable mounting of the'gageplate is caused to slidebackward and'forward independently,

cording to the thickness of the slioes'which it is desired to cut; 7

Myinvention consists,further, in providing the said slotted arm with a limited longitudinal movement, being adapted to slide a short distance back and forth inthe direction of movement ofthe pivoted arm itself ,and

Ibeingheld normallyat one end-of its movement by a spring, the object ofthisarrangement being topermit the gage-plate to yield slightly as the knife passesthrough the bread,

whereby to prevent com pression of the bread between the knife and gage-plate and to enable it to fall freely into a receiving-drawer or other receptacle placed beneath it'and at the same time preventing spoiling of the material for food purposes. p

My invention further-consists. in the construction and combinatiouof parts hereinafter described,and more particularly pointed out in the claims. I I have shown. a preferred form of my inventiouin theaccompanying drawings, and

wherein-. V I Figure l is a front elevation of myimproved bread-slicer. Fig. MS a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken at right angles to Fig 2 and on the line3 3 thereof.

Fig.4 is alongitudinalvertical section taken I on the line 4 4 of'FigQ1. Fig. 5 isfa fragmentary detail viewon an enlarged scale,

showing the adjustable clamping means, be-

rectangular box creasing 6,"which'is com posed of'froutand back plates 7fa'nd 8, sides 1c 0' '9, and a bottomtplate 10 and is covered on the upper side by a. hinged cover-plate 11,

havingahandle-knob 12, this cover-plate being attached to the back plate 8 by hinges 13, it being secured in closed position to the front plate 7 by any suitable fastening, such as a hook 14, engaging with an eye 15, mounted on the cover. Interiorly of this box and at the front side thereof is mounted a spiralbladed cutting-knife 16, which is secured fast to the crank-shaft 17 and journaled in a suitable bearing-block 18, fixed to the front plate 7, and whose outer end is provided with a suitable hand-crank 19. This knife is separated by a certain space from the inner side of the front plate 7, this space being equal to or slightly greater than the thickness of the thickest slice that is destined to be cut by the knife with the aid of the adjustable gage-plate 20, to be presently described. At the opposite or rear side of the knife 16 and slightly below the shaft thereof is a loaf-board 21, part of which immediately adjacent to the edge of the knife is supported by a vertical board 22 and a horizontal board 23, secured to the side 9 and rear plate 8 of the cover, and the remaining part of the loaf-board 21 is formed by a lid 24, which is preferably hinged to the stationary portion 21, as shown at 25,- and whose free end is seated against a ledge 26, formed by a gouge 26 in the inner side of the back plate.

8, so as to permit the lid 24 to be raised and lowered, and this lid may be provided at its free end with a lifting-button 27. The chamber 28, formed by the boards 22 23 and the rear plate 8, and of which the board 24 forms the lid, may be utilized for partially cut loaves and independently of the can 29,which, as shown, is located on the left of the box and is readily removable therefrom. a This can is supported, preferably, on a false bottom 30, which connects the left side 9 of the box with an upright partition-board 31, this board serving also to support the inner edge of the board 23 and forming therewith a chamber at the lower right-hand corner of the box, in which is slidably mounted a drawer 32, having a finger-button 33 to enable the same to be pulled out, and this drawer isintended to receive the slices as they are cut, as indicated by dotted lines at 34. The can 29 has a hinged lid 85 at its upper side to enable the,

loaves to be readily inserted and removed therefrom when the cover 11 has been lifted.

The lid 24 carries, preferably at the inner edge thereof, an upright metal partition-plate 36, attached thereto, so as to guide the loaf in its movement, the distance between the plate 36 and the side 9, to which the lid is adjacent, being about equal to the width of the loaves which are to be out. I

The front board 6 of the box has a square hole 37 cutout of its upper right-hand corner, so as to throw open the interior of the box at this point. Mounted across this open hole 37 is an adjustable gage-plate 20, which is mounted on horizontal pintles 39 at its lower edge in a slidable support 40, this being in the nature of a trough-shaped plate, having a horizontal projectingportion 41 and sides 42 and 43, in which are journaled the pintles 39. The horizontal plate 41 issupported against downward pressure by a bolster-block 44, which is secured to the face of the board 7, and this has a slidable connec tion with the plate 41 by means of a screw 45, embedded in the bolster-block 44 andpassin g through a-longitudinal slot 46, formed in the a seen that the support 40 has a longitudi nal reciprocative movement guided by the slotted connections 46 and 48. The backward-and-forward movement of the support 40 is attained by a pivoted bent plate 50, the body of which is mounted on the front of the board 7 and has pintles 51 journaled in bearing-plates 52, this plate 50 having a pair of upwardly-extending tongues 53 on each side of the bolster-block 44 and extending through slots formed in the horizontal member 41 of the support 40, so that by rocking the plate 50 on its bearings the plate 40 is adjusted back and forth. The plate 50 has a rectangularly bent arm 54, which extends rearwardly adjacent to the side plate 9 and has on its rear end a small bolt 55, Which extends through a slot 56 in a metal strap 57, which is mounted on the side of the board 9.

too

On the outer end of the bolt 55 is mounted a hand-nut 58, by which the arm 54 is clamped in any position on the strap 57 so as to hold the gage 20 at the proper distance from the knife 16. arm 54 the distance between the gage 20 and the knife 16 is widened, so as to cut thicker slices when the bread is pushed up against thegage-plate. Theoppositeisthecasewhen the arm 54 is lowered. The slices 34 when out drop through the open space between the knife and the front board 7 and into the drawer 32, as shown.

The apparatus as thus fardescribed is sufficiently complete to be operative; but I have provided an improvementin order to prevent the slices as cut from being und uly compressed between the plate and the knife owing to the latter having necessarily a certain thickness, which forms a sensible fraction of that of the slice itself. For this reason I provide a limited automatic motion for the gage-plate 20 by means of the following construction: The

strap 57 instead of being rigidly mounted on the side 9 of the boxis connected therewith by a pair of pins 59, passing through short slots 60 in the ends of the strap, and the lower end of the strap is connected, as shown, to a coiled spring 61, whose other end is fixedat 62 to the board 9, this spring being prefer- It will be seen that by raising the IIO ably partially countersunk in the wall 9, as 1 indicated in Fig. 3, and protected by a guardplate The spring 61 exerts a tension on the strap 57, which draws it to the lower limit of its mo'tiomand thereby holds the gageplate-2O resiliently in its rearmost position,

from which it is not disturbed by the slight endwise pressure of the loaf when brought up bread from being crushed or packed together. i

This device -also facilitates particularly the cutting of drybread, which is difficultly compressible. I

Inorder to provide for the cutting of thicker slices than usually required or for cutting a large portion-as, for instance, half a loaf at once'the gage-plate 20 is so arranged that it may be turned down ,outof the way, the pintles 39 being located at such a level that when the plate is turned down into the'position shown in dotted lines in Fig.4 it will be on a'level withthe loaf-board 21 and will thus form practically a continuation of the loafboard, so'as to permit the loaf to be projected into 'any position thereon. 'In this position it is supported by a small projecting lug 68, which is arranged at the pr'operlevel for that purpose on the front edge of theside 43 of the support'44 and coacts with a sidewiseextending lug 64 onthe gage-plate. The

plate 20 is also sustained in its vertical position and prevented from becoming displaced by the SideWiSe-eXtendinglug 64, which engages in anotch 65, formed'in the upper edge of the plate 43, the journal-apertures for the pintles 39 being also formed in the shape of vertical slots 66, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to permit the plat'e'20 tobe raised until the lug 64 is disengaged from the notch 65, when it is free to be turned into horizontal position. The plate 43 has also a cam-shaped curved forward edge 67, which engages the lower edge of the lug 64 when the plate 20is turned up, and thereby carries it inwardly forward and up until it drops into the notch 65, by which it is retained.

In Figs. 6 and 7 is illustrated the mechanism which I preferably'employ for facilitatin g the discharge of the slice after it has been completely out through-by the knife, and this is effectuated by a'slight periodical retrac- 57 through a hole 73 therein. Theshaft 69 is pivotally fixedto the board 23 by means This periodical re-.

of cleats 74. The cranked end 70 of the shaft is caused to be engaged by the pin 68 just at the time that each slice is out and is oscillated about its axis into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, which causes the arm 71 to raise the strap 57, and thus retract the gage-plate 20. This widens the space between the knife and the gage-plate, soas to permit thecut slice to readily drop through, and immediately thereafter the pin 68 passes over the end of the crank 70 and allows the spring 61 to return thegage pIate to its normal position. I

While I have shown in the accompanying drawings the'preferred form of my invention,.

it'will be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise form shown, for many of the details may be changed inform 'or' position without affecting the operativeness or utility of myinvention,and I therefore reserve the right to make all such modifications as are included within the scope of the following claims or of mechanical equi'valents'to thestructures set forth. Having thus describedmy invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isi r y 1. A bread-slicer com prisinga rectangular box or casing, a cover therefor closing'its upper side, a bread-receptaclefilling'one side of said box, a'second bread-receptacle at the center of the other side, a loaf-board immediately over said second receptacle and having a part thereof hinged to form a'lid for said receptacle, a rotary knife adapted to revolve-in a plane adjacent to the forward edge'o'f said loaf-board, and a drawer adapted to receive the'cut slices immediately beneath said second receptacle. y

2. A bread-slicer comprising a rotatable spiral-bladed knife, a loaf-boardhaving one edge adjacent to the same,a gage-plate mounted adjacent to the other edge and'pivoted on hinges at a level with the-upper surface of said board, and means for sustaining 'said gage-plate in vertical "position while'permitting it to be turned into horizontal position so as to form a continuation of said loaf-board.

3i In abroad-slicer, the combination of a loaf-board, a cutting-knife adapted to revolve adjacent to the edge thereof, a gage-plate mounted on the opposite side-"of said knife the slot of said strap, and a nut mounted on said bolt and adapted to clamp said arm in a definite position on said strap.

5. In a bread-slicer, the combination of a loaf-board, a cutting-knife adapted to revolve adjacent to the edge thereof, a gage-plate mounted on the opposite side of said knife and having a reciprocation toward and from said knife, a pivoted rocking piece engaging with said gage-plate, an arm mounted on said rocking piece, a slotted strap mounted across the end of said arm, a bolt passing through the slot of said strap, a nut mounted on said bolt and adapted to clamp said arm in a definite position on said strap, said strap having a limited reciprocation relative to the stationary parts, and a spring adapted to hold said strap resiliently at one end of its reciprocation, whereby to hold said gage-plate resiliently against the end of the loaf.

6. In a bread-slicer, the combination of a horizontal loaf-board on which the loaf is adapted to be advanced, a rotatable spiralbladed knife mounted adjacent to the edge of said board and in a plane at right angles thereto, a supporting-plate mounted to have a reciprocation in the line of advancement of the loaf, a gage-plate pivotally mounted on said supporting-plate and adapted to be sustained in a vertical position or to be turned into a horizontal position, a pivoted piece having engagement with said support and adapted to move the same back and forth, an arm attached to said pivoted piece, and means for clamping said arm in a definite position.

7. In a bread-slicer, the combination of a horizontal loaf-board on which the loaf is adapted to be advanced, a rotatable spiralbladed knife mounted adjacent to the edge of said board and in a plane at right angles thereto, a supporting-plate mounted to have a reciprocation in the line of advancement of the loaf, a gage-plate pivotally mounted on said supporting-plate and adapted to be sustained in a vertical position or to be turned into a horizontal position, a'pivoted piece having engagement with said support and adapted to move the same back and forth, an arm attached to said pivoted piece, a metal strap crossing the end of said arm, a bolt mounted on the end of said arm and passing through a slot in said metal strap, a hand-nut mounted on said bolt and adapted to clamp the arm in a definite position on said strap, said strap having a limited independent longitudinal reciprocation in its mounting, and

a spring adapted to hold said strap resiliently I,

at one end of its movement such that the gage-. plate is held resiliently against the slice, substantially as described.

8. In a bread-slicer, the combination of a loa f-board, a cutting-knife adapted to revolve adjacent to the edge thereof, a gage plate mounted on the opposite side of said knife and having a reciprocation in the line of advancement of the loaf, a spring resiliently holding said reciprocating gage-plate in the proper position to gage the thickness of a slice, trip mechanism for retracting said gageplate, and means carried by the knife-shaft and rotating with the knife for operating said trip mechanism to retract the gage-plate after the cutting of each slice, whereby to permit the cut slice to fall readily.

9. In a bread-slicer, the combination of a loaf-board, a cutting-knife adapted to revolve adjacent to the edge thereof, a gage-plate mounted on the opposite side of said knife and having a reciprocation toward and from said knife, a pivoted rocking piece engaging with said gage-plate, an arm mounted on said rocking piece, a spring resiliently retaining the gage-plate in its normal position for regulating the thickness ofa slice, a rock-shaft mounted in stationary bearings, a crank-arm carried by one end of said rock-shaft and adapted to oscillate said first-mentioned arm to retract the gage-plate against the action of the spring, a second crank-arm carried by the opposite end of said rock-shaft and extending adjacent to the knife, and an eccentric-pin mounted on the knife adapted to engage said last-mentioned arm at each revolution of the knife to retract said gage-plate, substantially as described.

10. In a bread-slicer, the combination of a loaf-board, a cutting-knife adapted to revolve adjacent to the edge thereof, a gage-plate mounted on the opposite side of said knife, a pivoted rocking piece engaging with said gage-plate, an arm mounted on said rocking piece, a slotted strap mounted across the end of said arm, means for adjustably securing the end of said arm to said strap in various positions thereon according to the thickness of slice desired, mountings to which said strap is secured to permit the longitudinal reciprocation thereof, a spring acting on said strap to hold the gage-plate resiliently in its normal position, a rock-shaft mounted in stationary bearings, a crank-arm carried by said rock-shaft engaging with said strap to reciprocate the same, a second crank-arm also carried by said rock-shaft and extending adjacent to the knife-blade, and an eccentric-pin adapted to engage said second crank-arm at each revolution of the knife and to oscillate the same, whereby to retract the gage-plate after the cutting of each slice, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

. ARTHUR BOLDUO.

\Vitnesses:

L. DION, ALP LEoLERo. 

